China Discovery Tour: BEIJING
27 March 2026
Our hotel, The Country Inn Suites by Radisson, was situated well outside Beijing city centre and the usual tourist spots. This enabled us to sample an authentic local vibe, as we wandered around our new neighborhood, imbued with an unpretentious charm. We also discovered an excellent restaurant nearby, serving delicious Peking Roast Duck, the city’s speciality.
Back at our hotel, which in reality was nothing special but the quiet room and friendly staff (and excellent value for money) would all make for an enjoyable stay there. We had come to see the famous landmarks of Beijing but our first positive impressions had been for the food and the people.
The next day, a short metro ride took us to Qiamen Square, our intention naively being to enter the Forbidden City via the Qiamen or “Front” Gate. However, we were refused entrance as reservations have to be made in advance. This was our first taste of the draconian security present in this whole area, with guards and police posted everywhere.
Instead, we wandered along Qiamen Street, one of Beijing’s most famous historic thoroughfares. It dates back over 600 years, originally serving as a commercial hub and gateway for people entering the capital during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It used to be a bustling area, filled with merchants, traders, shops, teahouses, theaters, and restaurants and still retains much of its traditional charm today.
We then decided to walk to the Temple of Heaven nearby (although nothing is really near in this huge city). On the way there, we met a young Chinese girl. Zhang, from Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius. She was very friendly and helped us purchase our entrance tickets. Situated in a huge park, the Temple of Heaven is a beautiful circular structure dating back to 1420. Situated nearby was the lesser-visited Temple of Agriculture, where Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors would visit to pray for a good harvest.
The next day, Sunday, was spent on a tour to visit the Summer Palace. Situated about 45 minutes outside the city centre, this is where China’s dynastic rulers would retreat from the city’s scorching summer heat. Ransacked and rebuilt multiple times, the complex was a fascinating place to explore, with exemplary gardens, a boat ride around the lake, typical Chinese architecture and even some symbols of imperial folly, such as a marble boat of a beloved Empress Dowager, Cixi.
Next up, back in the city, was a rickshaw ride around some famous Beijing alleyways or hutongs, followed by lunch and then a visit to the Lama Temple. Converted from a royal palace into a religious site in the 18th century, it is still a very active site of worship today, judging by all the worshippers there. Exuding a sense of calm, it is an ideal place to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of the city, taking in the architecture and many artefacts such as the world’s largest sandalwood Buddha sculpture (26 metres).
Beijing is not just about historical landmarks; futuristic buildings and monuments can be found everywhere, even the malls are architectural gems. We visited a truly unique one, called Raycom, containing an artificial lake and traditional bridge complete with a multi-coloured and musical fountain show every evening. We also came across a wonderfully unique bookstore there, reminiscent of Hogwarts library.
Our final tour in Beijing was an absolute highlight. The first stop was the heavily guarded Tiananmen Square, the centre of Chinese power for over 600 years, followed by a walk through the Forbidden City. The huge complex of gates, halls and temples was reserved for the Emperor and his family and off-limits for commoners. The tour bus then brought us to the Mutianyu segment of the Great Wall of China, about an hour’s drive away. The Wall is truly an amazing sight. A cable car took us to the 13th Watchtower and we walked along the Wall up to the 20th Watchtower, which was as far as anyone is allowed to go. Most of the wall is closed to visitors, as it is unsafe. A typical Chinese tea ceremony in a Tea House nearby rounded off a truly memorable day.
Our time in China was coming to an end and we had only one wish left to fulfil. At 8am the next morning, we stood in front of the Giant Panda Enclosure at Beijing Zoo. It was breakfast time for the Pandas and they happily munched on their bamboo sticks as the cameras of the crowd in front of their enclosure flashed wildly in front of them. Giant Pandas spend most of their day sleeping so this was one of the few opportunities to actually see them. It was well worth the early start.
The next day we headed off to the airport to return home; we had spent almost a month discovering this amazing country but felt that we had just scratched the surface: there was so much more to do and see.
China exceeded all our expectations, in every aspect. Of course, we expected to be impressed by historical and cultural landmarks of a civilization going back some 3000 years; but we were blown away by the huge, modern cities, with incredible infrastructure, futuristic architecture and the astonishing level of cleanliness everywhere. Everything worked perfectly. To walk along a street and not hear the traffic (because most vehicles are electric) was an extraordinary experience. Above all, we found the people there most friendly, despite the language barrier. We were treated with respect everywhere we went.
Yes, CCTV and the security forces are omnipresent but as long as you comply with the rules, it seems that there is little to fear. Those to whom we talked on the subject seemed happy enough, although reluctant to talk politics or even about past events. The past ills afflicting the country - famine, poverty and insecurity - appear to have been more or less eradicated (although it is also true that we did not travel to really remote areas). It’s a trade-off that in my opinion they feel is acceptable.
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